Manufacture of bolster-plates



J. 0. ERM N. Manufacture of Bolster Plates.

(No Model} Patented March 22,1881. 7

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' WITNESSES INVENTOR $9M. a

V Qqqm WWW/u 4 N PETERS. PHOTQJJTNQGRAPHER WASNINGYON D ATTORNE S rrsn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MANUFACTURE OF BOLSTER-PLATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,247, dated March 22, 1851. Application filed January 27, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN G. HERMAN, of St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have. invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Bolster-Plates for (Jarriages; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in the process of and the tools necessary to be used in the manufacture of bolster plates for carriages, wagons, and other vehicles; and it consists in certain manipulations, with novel dies or swages, of wrought-iron plates, said manipulations following each other in a prescribed succession, and terminating in the production of superior bolster-plates.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, in vertical longitudinal section, of bolster-plates constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the combined punch and swaging-tool. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the tool used in finishing the collar formed on the lower of the'plates, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a die used in the process hereinafter deively the bolster-plate and the washer-plate,

and for the sake of perspicuity they will be hereinafter so designated. Before proceeding, however, to the description of the various manipulations to which the plates are subjected, it will be necessary to describe with some particularity the tools by which these manipulations are made possible. They are three in number, and consist in a combined punch and swage, a finisher, andan ordinary die.

The punchand swaging-tool is, as its name suggests, adapted to fulfill the twofold office of punching in the plates the perforations for bolt hole and initiate the formation of a collar therearound, and, so far as the swaging function is concerned, to complete the collar begun by the punch, as aforesaid. This tool, which is made of steel or chilled iron, consists in a cylindrical shank or handle, A, flaring at its lower end into a flange, B, from the center of the lower face of which rises a slightly tapering projection, G, which performs the swaging, the lower portion thereof being beveled, and terminating in a tapering punch, D.

The finisher, which is similar in general form to the punch and swaging-tool, consists of a shank, E, flaring at its lower end into flange F, from the center of the lower face of v which rises a projection, G, of substantially the same size as the swage C. An annulardepression, H, encircling the projection G, and adapted to receive the collar after its formation, is sunk below the lower face of the flange F to a depth equivalent to the vertical height of the collar.

The die H is a simple block of hard metal provided with aperforation, I, equal in diameter to the greatest diameter of the collar.

The steps of the manufacture of the washerplateA consist in first perforating a wroughtiron plate of suitable size at each end with the punch D of the punching and swagin g tool. No metal will be removed by this operation, but the metal will be drawn or upset, and bosses A will be formed on the under side of the plate, while on its upper face the beveled edge of the swage G will have formed countersinks B, which will receive the heads of the bolts that secure the plate to the washer of the vehicle, the washer'being suitably recessed to receive the said bosses A The value of these bosses on the washer and bolster plates (for the latter is similarly provided with them) cannot be overestimated, as they give rigidity and solidity to the connection between the said plates and the washer-bolster, and are unmoved by strains which would wrench plates secured by the common fastenings out of place.

The perforation 0, formed midway of the length of the plate for insertion of the kingbolt, is provided with a vertical collar, D, which is formed by reversing the plate, mounting it on die H, and perforating it with the punch D of the swaging and punching tool,

which is further used to svvage the collar D into the shape shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. It will follow, as a necessary consequence to such upsetting and swaging, that the edges of the collar will be rough and uneven. The punch and swaging-tool is therefore withdrawn, the plate is turned over, and the finisher is placed on the collar in such position that it will receive it in its annular depression H. Heavy blows on the shank E of the finisher will now complete the collar, leaving its upper edge square and smooth.

The bolster-plate B is perforated by the punch in precisely the same manner as the washer-plate, and therefore description of the process isunnecessary. It is also provided, midway of its length, with an aperture, A for the king-bolt, which is of sufficient diameter to fit over the collar D of the bolster-plate. These plates A B have bearing on each other, and any lateral impulse tending to wrench them apart is effectually overcome by the engagement of the vertical collar D with the walls of the perforation A of the plate 13.

I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction of tools shown and described, nor to the exact process given, but hold myself at liberty to make suchv slight changes as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let- .ters Patent, is- V plates, consisting in punching apertures at each end thereof, and forming countersinks and bosses, respectively, on the upper and lower faces of the plates, and punching a hole for the king bolt, and upsetting the metal around it to form a collar, and squaring the edge of the collar so formed, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A combined punch and swaging-tool to be used in the manufacture of bolster-plates, consisting, essentially, in a shank having a flanged lower edge, a swage rising from the lower face of the flange, and terminating in a punch, a bevel being formed between the end of the swage and the base of the punch, as aforesaid.

3. A finishing-tool to be used in the manufacture of bolster-plates in finishing a'vertical collar upsetfrom the lower plate and surrounding the king-bolt hole, said tool consisting in a shank having a flanged lower edge, from the lower face of which rises a cylindrical projection encircled by an annular depression sunk in the face of the flange aforesaid, and as deep as the walls of the collar are high, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of January, 1881.

JOHN o. HERMAN.

Witnesses W. B. HoMER, WM. I. POND. 

